Gate-latch.



J. S. BARNES & E. J. RANDALL.

GATE LATCH. APPLICATION FILED DEC-26.1916.

1,216 1,679. Patented Apr. 2,1918.

/ moamtow NI STATS JOHN S. BARNES AND EGBERT J. RANDALL, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2-, 1918.

Application filed December 26, 1916. Serial No. 138,701.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JOHN S. BARNES and EGBERT J. RANDALL, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of lVayne', State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gate-Latches, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to a spring latch for gates shown in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the following specification and claims.

Among other objects the purpose of this invention is to provide a device simple in construction and operation adapted for use on gate frames of varying diameter and which may be constructed of sheet metal at a minimum cost by suitable blanking and forming dies.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device pivoted to the gate frame in which it is only necessary to use one hand to release a latch spring that the gate may be opened, this being accomplished by bearing down upon the rocking member which upon tilting releases the latch spring from engagement with a catch member carried by the post: the latch spring returning to its initial position upon the release of the controlling tilting member by the operator.

Another feature of the invention is that the tilting action of the rocking member is limited in either direction of its rocking movement and thus may be found always in a convenient position for the operators hand.

Other advantages and improvements will hereafter appear, it being apparent that changes may be made in the precise embodiment shown without departing from the spirit of our invention.

In the drawing Figure l is a perspective view of a gate latch embodying the invention, showing a portion of the gate and the post at one side of the gate opening to which the catch is attached.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the latch operating memher having been moved to a position to dlsengage the latch from the catch.

Referring now to the letters of reference shown upon the drawings.

A, denotes a fragment of a gate frame.

B, indicates a tilting member preferably formed of sheet metal. of substantially U- shaped form, its walls B, B, being spaced apart to receive between them the gate frame A. C, is a transverse bolt projecting through the side walls B, B, and gate frame A, and serves as a pivot on which the device may be rocked. The upper edge of the walls B, B, inside of the gate frame are preferably bent at right angles to the sides as indicated at 7), b, to provide a broad flat surface on which the hand may rest in tilting the device ;the portion adjacent to the gate frame being shaped to conform to the surface of the latter, indicated at 7), and thus serve as a stop to limit the tilting action of the device in one direction. The walls B, B, on the outside of the gate frame converge as indicated at 6 to overlap the latter so that the tilting action of the device may be limited in the opposite direction by contact with the gate frame. C, denotes a spring latch preferably formed of wire, with its lower end bent at substantially right angles to the body of the latch, to project through an aperture in the wall of the gate frame ;-said latter portion of the latch being also bent slightly on both sides of the frame to form shoulders, as indicated at c, and 0, to maintain it respectively in spaced relation to the frame, and to insure against its accidental dislodgment therefrom. The upper free end of the latch is embraced by the walls B, B, of the tilting member B, its extreme end being bent slightly, as indicated at. 0 to overlap the latter. D, is a catch plate, secured to the post E, and has a flange d, inclined from each side toward a notch cl, in the middle of the plate to receive the latch spring 0.

Having indicated the several parts by reference letters, the construction and operation of the device will be apparent. Assuming the gate to be closed,-to release the spring latch, the operator bears upon the tilting member B,which being looped around the spring latch C,in tilting forces the latter out of the notch provided in the catch plate secured to the post E; (as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings) the tilting action of the rocking member being limited through contact with the gate frame. Upon the operator removing his hand from the rocking member, the latter will be forced back to its initial position through the resilient action of the latch spring, and upon closing the gate the latch Will ride over the inclined flange of the catch plate and enter the notch provided for its reception, as shown in big. 1; thereby locking the gate.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is 1. Latch operating means, consisting of a member pivoted between its ends to a support and having the latch engaging end deflected laterally to provide a stop to engage the support and limit the movement of the member in one direction, and having the upper edge of the remaining portion deflected laterally to provide an extended rest for the hand, and a stop to engage the support and limit the movement of the member in the opposite direction.

movement of the latch operating member in V the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof, we sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. BARNES. EGBERT J. RANDALL. Witnesses:

S. E. THOMAS, N. HURLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

